Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;Fidcsunwhi&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Fidcsunwhi’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; relatively compact growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant form; uniform and freely flowering habit; medium-size decorative-type inflorescences with white-colored ray florets; early to mid-season flowering habit; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FIDCSUNWHI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as a garden Chrysanthemum plant and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fidcsunwhi’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program is to create new early to mid-season flowering garden Chrysanthemum plants with numerous attractive inflorescences.

The new Chrysanthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination made in January, 2011 by the Inventor in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom of a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 92122, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 83277, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom in September, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by terminal vegetative cuttings was first conducted in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom in December, 2011. Asexual reproduction by terminal vegetative cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fidcsunwhi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fidcsunwhi’ as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant:

1. Upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit.

-   -   2. Relatively compact growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant form.     -   4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Medium-size decorative-type inflorescences with white-         colored ray florets.     -   6. Early to mid-season flowering habit, grown under natural         season conditions, plants flower in late August to early         September in the United Kingdom.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Grown under natural season conditions, plants of the new         Chrysanthemum flower earlier than plants of the female parent         selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have larger inflorescences         than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more compact than and not         as vigorous as plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the male parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the male parent         selection have inflorescences with yellow-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Jasoda White’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,884. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of ‘Jasoda White’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Grown under natural season conditions, plants of the new         Chrysanthemum flowered about one month earlier than plants of         ‘Jasoda White’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had larger inflorescences         than plants of ‘Jasoda White’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum plant. The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fidcsunwhi’ grown in a 19-cm container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter in 19-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom and under cultural practices typical of commercial garden Chrysanthemum production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 21° C. and light levels averaged 6,000 lux. Plants were grown under long day/short night conditions for eight weeks (including propagation period) and then grown under short day/long night conditions to induce inflorescence initiation and development. Plants were 14 weeks old when the photograph and detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Fidcsunwhi’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 92122,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 83277,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at             temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at             temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter: About four             weeks at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically light brown in             color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous decorative-type garden             Chrysanthemum; stems upright to outwardly spreading giving a             uniformly mounded appearance to the plant; numerous lateral             branches and relatively short internodes, dense and full             plant form; relatively compact growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 15 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 27 cm.         -   Main stem diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; about nine lateral             branches develop after removal of terminal apex (pinching).         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 10 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Internode length: About 1.5 cm. Strength: Moderately strong.             Aspect: About 60° from the main stem and then bending             upwardly. Texture: Fine pubescence. Color: Close to 146C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Palmately-lobed; roughly ovate with three to five             lobes.         -   Apex.—Broadly acuminate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Slightly dentate and palmately lobed; sinuses             between lateral lobes divergent.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Fine pubescence; slightly             rough; veins prominent on lower surface.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation,             close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 144B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper surface: Fine pubescence; slightly rough. Texture,             lower surface: Fine pubescence. Color, upper surface: Close             to 144A. Color, lower surface: Close to 144B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Form and flowering habit.—Decorative-type inflorescence form             with ligulate-shaped ray florets; inflorescences borne on             terminals above and beyond the foliar plane; disc and ray             florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum; freely             flowering habit with about 54 inflorescences developing per             plant.         -   Fragrance.—Mildly fragrant; pungent, herbaceous.         -   Flowering response.—Early to mid-season flowering habit,             plants exposed to natural season conditions begin flowering             in late August to early September in the United Kingdom;             plants flower uniformly and continuously.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color             and substance for about three to five weeks on the plant;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 3 mm. Diameter: About             5 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 138A.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.5 cm.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 1.6 cm.         -   Receptacles.—Height: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Conical. Color: Close to 139D.         -   Ray florets.—Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About             182 arranged in about eleven whorls. Orientation: Initially             upright, then about 90° from vertical. Length: About 1.7 cm.             Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused             into a short tube. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; double-keeled. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to NN155B. When opening, lower             surface: Close to NN155C. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to NN155B; with development, color becoming             closer to NN155C.         -   Disc florets.—Disc floret development has not been observed             on plants of the new Chrysanthemum.         -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 24             arranged in about three whorls. Length: About 6 mm. Width:             About 3 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Obtuse.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             waxy. Texture, lower surface: Fine pubescence; waxy. Color,             upper surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower surface: Close to             146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 2.5 cm.             Diameter, terminal peduncle: About 2 mm. Angle: About 10°             from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible.             Texture: Fine pubescence. Color: Close to 138B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: None observed. Gynoecium:             Present only on ray florets. Pistil length: About 5 mm.             Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 12A. Style             length: About 3 mm. Style color: Close to 8B. Ovary color:             Close to NN155C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum. -   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common     to Chrysanthemum plants has not been observed on plants of the new     Chrysanthemum. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have     demonstrated good garden performance and to tolerate temperatures     from about 0° C. to about 35° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Fidcsunwhi’ as illustrated and described. 